Coupling-breaker



(No Model.)

R. H. SMITH.

` COUPLNG BREAKER. No. 369,887. y Patented Sept. 13, 1887.

` minimam- .a telescopic joint.

artnr trice.

RODERICK H. SMITH, OF DUNKIRK, NEV YORK.

COUPLlNG-BREAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369.887, dated September 13,y 1887.

Application tiled March 31, 1887. Serial No. 233,184. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, RoDERIcK H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dunkirk, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvenients in Coupling-Breakers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to couplings more especially for the steam or air pipes of cars, which couplings are connected by a lockinglever; and the object of the invention is to provide novel means for operating the locking-lever to automatically release the coupling-sections when the cars are uncoupled.

The object of my invention I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l represents a longitudinal section of a pipe-coupling embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, showing the coupling broken. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a car provided with the coupling. Fig. Ll is a sectional elevation of a movable portion provided with a spring-cushion.

. Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, Figs. l and 2, the letters A A' designate the two-sections of a pipecoupling of the usual construction, each of which is provided with a longitudinally-sliding section-such, for example, as tubes B B' which extend into the sections A A', and can be moved in and out therein in the manner of Suitable stufling-boxes, C C', are provided, so as to prevent leakage about the tubes B B'.

The locks by means of which the couplingsections A A' are coupled together, as shown in this example, consist of a locking-lever, D D', and acatch, E E', for each section. The locking-levers are pivoted to links d d', 'and the opposite ends of the latter are pivoted to Vspring-pressed barsFF',having bearingsin lugs e e',extending from the heads act ofthe sections A A. The links d d' encompass the catches E E', which latter are suitably placed to be engaged by the levers D D when the sections are coupled, whereby the levers areretained in the locking position, as shown in Fig. l.

The construction of the coupling as thus far described is old and well known. To break such a coupling it is necessary to pull the levers D D over and clear of the catches E E', which was heretofore done by hand, thereby rendering it impraeticable to uncouple cars while the train is in motion.

To automatically break the pipe-coupling when the car-coupling B, Fig. 8, is broken, l provide the following device for releasing the locking-levers from the catches E E.

To the lugs e e of each section A A' are pivoted arms G G', which areconnected by means of suitable cords or chains, H H', to the slid- Ving tubes B B', and by cords or chains I l to the locking-levers D D' beyond their points of pivoting to the links d d', so that when the sliding tubes are drawn outward from the sections A A' the locking-levers will be drawn upward and out of contact with the catches E E'.

The longitudinally-sliding sections-sueltas the tubes B B'-are attached to the pi pesPP,

Fig. 3, extending` to or through the cars for heating or other purposes, a suitable cup or ball joint, as P', being interposed.

It will be readily understood that when the car-couplings B are separated or broken the tubes 'B B' will be drawn outward, and at the same instant the pipe-coupling, owing to its connection with tubes, will be broken. As shown in Fig. l, the cords or chains should be allowed to hang slightly slack, so that small movements of the tubes will not affect the locks.

To insure a simultaneous movement'of both longitudinally-sliding sections B B', each of the same may be provided with aspring-cushion, Fig. L.L -such as a spiral spring-which is engaged by a head or iiange, b, on. the inner end of the same. "lhe other end of the spring abuts against any suitable projection in the respective stufiing box C. By this means both levers D D are actuated at the same time by the longitudinally-sliding sections.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the pipe-coupling sections A A', having lugs e e', the swinging arms G G', pivoted to said lugs, thepivoted locking-levers D D', the chains I l', connect- IOO ving saidarms andleversythetubesBB', sliday*Intestinnony whereof I have hereunto set ble inthepipe-coupling sectionsand projectvmy hand andseal inthe presence of two subing outward from the ends thereof, and the scribing witnesses.

chains H H, attached at one end directly to RODERICK H. SMITH. [L s] 5 the said projecting ends of the tubes and at Witnesses: Y

the other end secured to the swinging arms, VvA. FABER DU FAUR, J r.,

substantially as described. "`EDUARD*WoLFF. 

